I get this a lot, "What exactly do you two do on a date? Where do you go?" I am always stumped by this question. I always wondered if I am expected to answer this in a more unique way? I mean, down here, besides food, movies and shopping, seriously, what else can we do on a date?
But then if I answer that, it is too boring and run-of-the-mill, is it not? After all anyone who is with someone will do the same thing. Seems like the routine for anyone with a date - dinner, shopping, movies, drinks.
The worst thing is if you tell others you just stay home and watch television together, people will then have an impression how boring and lack of life's passion one must be.
The thing is, when I was young and full of energy, I wanted to go places. But budget was a constraint. So we ended up hanging out at each other's homes, more me hanging out at his place than mine. I never used to mind as I thought as long as I was around him that was all that mattered, even if he would just be hooked on his computer games and totally ignoring me save for the occasional requests of water and food, and I had to then be like a maid, bringing him water and food and fed him as requested.
When I got older and more affluent, I started to think about the kind of relationship I wanted. Maybe we can go fine dining and various gastronomical adventures. We can get away once in a while together. We can go chilling out after work. We can go yachting. We can go for operas, musicals and plays. I thought of all these even when I was dateless.
Yet now when I finally have a date, again there is budget constraint so we ended up doing the same routine things again - dinner and movies. The worst thing is that at an older age, one's energy level goes down so even if you wanted to go places, you just feel so tired everyday that you just want to go home and not do anything.
I am not against a plain dinner and movie date, or just hanging out at home. But I am one who needs variety in my life. Doing the same things all the time will only bore me to death.
But what can we do? Both of us earn a nominal salary and have our own bills to settle. As much as we like to go places, we are limited by funds as after setting aside for household, course fees and necessities, we may not have that much left especially with the cost of living nowadays. Hence there are even less things I can do now as compared to when I was still single, carefree and not gone back to studying.
But then again, whoever said a date must be lavish? There are actually many places to explore right in this island itself, places where no one even knew existed! And all do not cost much!
Furthermore, there are many things we can do which are inexpensive and yet let us lose weight and remain healthy. What can be a better deal?
So I did some research and came up with a few ideas :
1. The most common - walk or picnic on the beach. Or cycling, jogging, dog-walking, moon-gazing, star-gazing, sea-gazing, or just gazing into each other's eyes.
2. Explore a village. Believe it or not, there is still a little village consisting of wooden houses somewhere in this city, with actual residents. It is right smack in the middle of government flats and suburban housing. Knowing how our government maximizes the use of the land space fully, this village will not last much longer so it would be a good idea to visit it and see how life was just forty years ago. Since it is a residential area and not a tourist spot, anyone can go there for free.
3. Commune with nature. Somewhere around the northern part of this island, there is a stretch consisting of a wetland reserve and organic farms. All we need to do is to take a train there, then a shuttle bus will take us into the area and we can explore whichever farm we like, be it a fish farm, bird watching at the wetland reserve, or a vegetable farm. A healthy meal of organic food is included too.
4. Hiking. The only trekking path here is up our highest point, which is not even high in the first place. This shows how flat our land is, without any natural landforms like mountain tops, lakes and valleys. Still it is quite a popular hiking trail for many people, if they bother to get up early on a Saturday morning to go hiking.
5. Park hopping. Now there is a three-in-one ticket at a very good price to gain entrance into the zoo, the Night Safari and the Bird Park. The best news is one need not go all three places in one day as the ticket is valid for a month. Much more worth it as compared to getting individual tickets for the three places.
6. Horse riding. The Saddle Club allows a ten-minute horse riding experience for a good price. This would be interesting especially for people who grow up here but have never seen nor ridden a horse.
7. Treetops Walk. Our National Parks Board had designated treetop trails linking the different parks together, with another at a reservoir. It is a good form of exercise, enjoying each other's company and see nice scenery along the way.
8. Victorian Chic. For a touch of Victorian, stroll along the main river, especially around sunset. Flanked by skyscrapers on one end and Victorian buildings at the other end, it is a beautiful and romantic sight to stroll alongside the river in the evenings.
9. Go on a boardwalk. There is this stretch around the eastern part that has a very nice pavement stretching out to the beach. Great for exploration and beach walk. The only downside is that the particular area is reputed to be one of the most haunted areas on this island and there are real life accounts of people actually feeling uncomfortable whenever they go there.
10. Walk about on a grassy field. There is this stretch of tall grass situated next to a marina, where yachts dock. The field sometimes have this plant called lalang. It is situated at the far north eastern part where there is hardly any housing and not many have heard of the place. Hence one can have the field all to themselves for a picnic or just sit there, read and enjoy each other's company.
11. Go to a Pet Farm, especially for animal-lovers like us. The entrance is free and you can ogle at all the cute puppies, kittens, hamsters, chinchillas, even exotic pets like snakes and reptiles!
12. Last but not least, my favourite, which I always hope can happen but never did. Have the house all to yourself and the guy whip up a sumptuous candlelight dinner. I always thought I would like a guy who can actually cook, but unfortunately ... Well you give some, you take some.
So there, ten date ideas that are enjoyable, inexpensive, different and healthy! Looks like I must first start checking off the list by doing them! Now if only I can find the time!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
But then if I answer that, it is too boring and run-of-the-mill, is it not? After all anyone who is with someone will do the same thing. Seems like the routine for anyone with a date - dinner, shopping, movies, drinks.
The worst thing is if you tell others you just stay home and watch television together, people will then have an impression how boring and lack of life's passion one must be.
The thing is, when I was young and full of energy, I wanted to go places. But budget was a constraint. So we ended up hanging out at each other's homes, more me hanging out at his place than mine. I never used to mind as I thought as long as I was around him that was all that mattered, even if he would just be hooked on his computer games and totally ignoring me save for the occasional requests of water and food, and I had to then be like a maid, bringing him water and food and fed him as requested.
When I got older and more affluent, I started to think about the kind of relationship I wanted. Maybe we can go fine dining and various gastronomical adventures. We can get away once in a while together. We can go chilling out after work. We can go yachting. We can go for operas, musicals and plays. I thought of all these even when I was dateless.
Yet now when I finally have a date, again there is budget constraint so we ended up doing the same routine things again - dinner and movies. The worst thing is that at an older age, one's energy level goes down so even if you wanted to go places, you just feel so tired everyday that you just want to go home and not do anything.
I am not against a plain dinner and movie date, or just hanging out at home. But I am one who needs variety in my life. Doing the same things all the time will only bore me to death.
But what can we do? Both of us earn a nominal salary and have our own bills to settle. As much as we like to go places, we are limited by funds as after setting aside for household, course fees and necessities, we may not have that much left especially with the cost of living nowadays. Hence there are even less things I can do now as compared to when I was still single, carefree and not gone back to studying.
But then again, whoever said a date must be lavish? There are actually many places to explore right in this island itself, places where no one even knew existed! And all do not cost much!
Furthermore, there are many things we can do which are inexpensive and yet let us lose weight and remain healthy. What can be a better deal?
So I did some research and came up with a few ideas :
1. The most common - walk or picnic on the beach. Or cycling, jogging, dog-walking, moon-gazing, star-gazing, sea-gazing, or just gazing into each other's eyes.
2. Explore a village. Believe it or not, there is still a little village consisting of wooden houses somewhere in this city, with actual residents. It is right smack in the middle of government flats and suburban housing. Knowing how our government maximizes the use of the land space fully, this village will not last much longer so it would be a good idea to visit it and see how life was just forty years ago. Since it is a residential area and not a tourist spot, anyone can go there for free.
3. Commune with nature. Somewhere around the northern part of this island, there is a stretch consisting of a wetland reserve and organic farms. All we need to do is to take a train there, then a shuttle bus will take us into the area and we can explore whichever farm we like, be it a fish farm, bird watching at the wetland reserve, or a vegetable farm. A healthy meal of organic food is included too.
4. Hiking. The only trekking path here is up our highest point, which is not even high in the first place. This shows how flat our land is, without any natural landforms like mountain tops, lakes and valleys. Still it is quite a popular hiking trail for many people, if they bother to get up early on a Saturday morning to go hiking.
5. Park hopping. Now there is a three-in-one ticket at a very good price to gain entrance into the zoo, the Night Safari and the Bird Park. The best news is one need not go all three places in one day as the ticket is valid for a month. Much more worth it as compared to getting individual tickets for the three places.
6. Horse riding. The Saddle Club allows a ten-minute horse riding experience for a good price. This would be interesting especially for people who grow up here but have never seen nor ridden a horse.
7. Treetops Walk. Our National Parks Board had designated treetop trails linking the different parks together, with another at a reservoir. It is a good form of exercise, enjoying each other's company and see nice scenery along the way.
8. Victorian Chic. For a touch of Victorian, stroll along the main river, especially around sunset. Flanked by skyscrapers on one end and Victorian buildings at the other end, it is a beautiful and romantic sight to stroll alongside the river in the evenings.
9. Go on a boardwalk. There is this stretch around the eastern part that has a very nice pavement stretching out to the beach. Great for exploration and beach walk. The only downside is that the particular area is reputed to be one of the most haunted areas on this island and there are real life accounts of people actually feeling uncomfortable whenever they go there.
10. Walk about on a grassy field. There is this stretch of tall grass situated next to a marina, where yachts dock. The field sometimes have this plant called lalang. It is situated at the far north eastern part where there is hardly any housing and not many have heard of the place. Hence one can have the field all to themselves for a picnic or just sit there, read and enjoy each other's company.
11. Go to a Pet Farm, especially for animal-lovers like us. The entrance is free and you can ogle at all the cute puppies, kittens, hamsters, chinchillas, even exotic pets like snakes and reptiles!
12. Last but not least, my favourite, which I always hope can happen but never did. Have the house all to yourself and the guy whip up a sumptuous candlelight dinner. I always thought I would like a guy who can actually cook, but unfortunately ... Well you give some, you take some.
So there, ten date ideas that are enjoyable, inexpensive, different and healthy! Looks like I must first start checking off the list by doing them! Now if only I can find the time!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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